♧ Chapter 7 ♧
Emilia, my youngest older sister, was a scholar who researched magic, divine power, and Supernatural Abilities.
People in Trovanza recognized her as a talented researcher, but that wasn’t the important part.
What I wanted to say was…
Because of Emilia, I had seen plenty of mana potions before.
What François had poured into my drink…
Was a potion containing his own mana.
The grape juice immediately became a darker shade of purple.
Then it started bubbling.
“Emilia…”
I called out to her, trying to say I didn’t want it.
But she simply held my hand tightly.
“If you drink it, you’ll become healthier.”
“…It doesn’t look like something that would make me healthy.”
“Medicine that’s good for you always looks like it tastes bad.”
When I pushed the straw away…
Emilia calmly took out another one, as if she had expected that.
I leaned over and sniffed the grape juice.
Instead of its usual sweet smell…
A bitter scent filled my nose.
“If you finish it all, I’ll buy you anything you want today.”
“…Mmm. Liliana doesn’t want anything today.”
“You’d better drink it.”
I made a pitiful face and cautiously sipped the drink.
Blegh!
I had only tasted a tiny bit…
But it was so bitter that I almost gagged.
The moment Emilia realized I would never finish it on my own…
She picked up the cup.
Then she held me firmly and brought it to my lips.
“Mmm… I don’t want it.”
No matter how much I shook my head…
It was useless.
Emilia gently held my chin, forced my mouth open, and tilted the cup.
The bitter liquid poured into my mouth and slid down my throat.
It was so bitter that it felt like my nose had gone numb.
I struggled desperately, wanting to run away immediately.
But Emilia skillfully held me still.
“I don’t want it!”
“Just endure it a little longer. Then you’ll get healthier.”
“No! I don’t care if I never get healthy! Let me go!”
“Liliana… just a little longer. It’ll be over soon. Please?”
It was the first time Emilia had ever begged me with such an apologetic expression.
So I tightly closed my eyes and forced myself to swallow.
But after only a few mouthfuls…
I reached my limit.
“Please stop… I’d rather get a shot.”
As I struggled harder…
Emilia’s grip became even firmer.
My eyes filled with tears.
My nose started running.
Just before I burst into tears…
She finally pulled the cup away.
Sniffling…
I repeatedly hit Emilia’s arm.
I used all my strength.
But she didn’t look hurt at all.
“I hate you, Sister!”
My anger reached its limit.
I grabbed my plate with the cake and moved to the next table.
Then I dramatically buried my face on the table and sniffled loudly.
If I had known this would happen…
I would’ve rather been caught lying about my stomach hurting and gotten scolded.
This tastes so awful…
Tears slowly rolled down my cheeks.
“Liliana. I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry anymore, okay?”
“Hmph!”
Emilia sat beside me and gently patted my shoulder.
I immediately shook her hand away.
Then I deliberately turned my head in the opposite direction.
Just then…
A large blueberry, strawberry, and chocolate cream cake was placed in front of me.
I instinctively flinched.
François crouched down in front of me so our eyes were level.
“I’m sorry. Let’s make up, Liliana. I hope you’ll forgive us after eating this.”
Ah…
My resolve wavered.
But…
I wasn’t going to forgive them over just one cake.
When I still refused to smile…
François quietly flicked his fingers.
At once…
A squirrel made entirely of light appeared before me.
It happily wiggled its little bottom while dancing.
Every time it shook its hips…
Its fluffy tail swayed from side to side.
The squirrel rubbed its tiny nose against mine.
Even though it was only an illusion made of light…
It somehow still felt ticklish.
“Hehe…”
A small laugh escaped without me realizing it.
When I gently stroked its striped back with my fingertip…
The squirrel affectionately rubbed its face against my finger.
Perhaps because it was made from warm golden light…
It somehow felt warm.
“Let’s make up with your sister and me, alright? Can you do that?”
“…Mmm.”
It definitely wasn’t because of the dancing squirrel.
And it definitely wasn’t because François suddenly leaned his handsome face so close that my heart started pounding.
I was only trying to understand Emilia…
Because she had willingly become the bad guy for my sake.
“…O-Okay!”
As soon as I answered…
The squirrel climbed onto my finger.
Then it ran up my arm.
It bounced happily onto my shoulder before gently pecking little kisses against the back of my neck.
Finally…
It melted away like a soap bubble and disappeared.
Just as I started pouting because I wanted it to stay longer…
François cut off a piece of cake and gently fed it to me.
The blueberries…
The strawberries…
And the soft chiffon cake melted together.
Little by little…
The terrible bitter taste disappeared from my mouth.
Only sweetness remained.
It’s so delicious!
I happily kicked my legs in the air.
Watching me…
Emilia gave François a strange look.
He smirked slightly before sitting beside me and explaining,
“I rearranged the mana structure to imitate divine power, then turned it into a liquid. That’s why it tastes so terrible. I thought you’d cry… but Liliana, you’re really brave.”
“Yep! I’m a brave kid!”
His praise made me puff out my chest proudly.
Seeing that…
François laughed.
“It’s true! I’m not scared of anything!”
“That’s right. Our youngest is the best.”
Emilia gently patted my head before continuing her discussion with François.
I knew I should keep an eye on them so they wouldn’t become close.
But after everything that had happened…
All I could think about was enjoying my sweet cake.
Even if they became friends…
Their personalities were so different that nothing would probably come of it.
So there was no need to worry.
“Since it’s her first time absorbing mana, her body may show a few temporary reactions while it adjusts. If she gets a fever or says she feels sick, just give her medicine and let her rest.”
“Alright. How long will you be staying in Trovanza?”
“I’m not sure. I came here for work, so I won’t be staying very long.”
“Then while you’re here… please see Liliana at least once a week.”
“Of course. A contract is a contract.”
He paused.
“More importantly…”
I had just finished scraping the last bit of cake from my plate.
Feeling someone looking at me…
I raised my head.
My eyes met François’s golden ones.
Unlike the gentle smiles he had shown me before…
His face was now calm and completely serious.
Without a smile…
François looked much colder than I had imagined.
He looked almost like a glass doll…
As though he had no emotions at all.
“I want Liliana to grow up healthy.”
He finished in a meaningful tone before gently patting my head.
His perfectly graceful smile somehow felt mechanical.
Without realizing it…
I grabbed Emilia’s arm tightly.
Even though it was a warm spring day…
The air around us suddenly felt cold.
“Second Sister, what are you doing?”
After returning home, I quietly opened Regina’s bedroom door and peeked inside.
The wardrobe doors were wide open.
Clothes were spread all over the bed.
Standing in front of the mirror…
My Second Sister held up one dress after another.
She noticed me and waved me over.
“Lily, come here.”
“Hm?”
Holding up two dresses against herself, she asked,
“Which one looks better?”
One was blue.
The other was red.
“Umm…”
My eyes shook.
This was even harder than meeting the male leads.
“The blue dress has flowers.”
“The red one has butterflies.”
I, Liliana Berkio…
Faced the greatest challenge of my six-year life.
‘I have to answer carefully.’
Of course…
My Second Sister would never get angry over something like this.
But as her loving little sister…
I wanted to answer seriously.
“Umm… You look pretty in both!”
“That doesn’t help.”
“Who are you meeting?”
Emilia, who had been walking toward the bathroom, suddenly opened the door.
“Mm. A man.”
“What? You’ve gone on plenty of dates before. Since when do you worry this much about clothes?”
Emilia crossed her arms and looked at Regina in disbelief.
Honestly…
I understood why.
Unlike Big Sister and Emilia, who had little interest in romance…
My Second Sister loved dating.
With her honey-blonde curls, bright blue eyes, and breathtaking beauty…
She was incredibly popular throughout Trovanza.
Many boys even bought me snacks just to get on my Second Sister’s good side.
Because of that…
She had gradually become rather indifferent toward romance.
Yet today…
She had taken out nearly every dress she owned before tomorrow’s date.
She looked completely excited.
Twirling one of her golden curls around her finger…
She smiled.
“He seemed like a really wonderful man. He’s handsome… and he also seems kind.”
“Are you interested because he’s a good catch… or because you genuinely like him?”
It was such a brutally direct question.
But instead of getting offended…
My Second Sister smiled even more brightly.
“I’m interested because he’s a good catch!”
“Oh.”
Emilia raised an eyebrow.
Then she took a white dress from the wardrobe and handed it to Regina.
“You look your best in this one. Wear it.”
“Oh!”
This time…
I was the one who gasped.
Even though Emilia had been born only seven minutes after Regina…
At that moment…
She looked just as cool as Big Sister.
Maybe it was because this was the first time I had ever seen my Second Sister preparing for a date the day before.
My curiosity bubbled over.
“Second Sister, which Mister is it? Do I know him?”
“I’m meeting Mister Leo. The one we met before.”
“Whaaaat?!”
I quickly covered my open mouth.
She was really going to meet Leopold von Waltrahen?
The male lead from the original story?
I had only planned to become friends with the male leads.
Maybe then…
There would be a tiny 0.001% chance of avoiding the tragic events of the original story…
And perhaps even preventing the future war.
But now…
They were going on a date?
I never expected this development.
Isn’t this amazing?
“Leo? Who’s that? What kind of man is he?”
“Someone who’s never dated wouldn’t understand.”
“What? Hey! Who is he? Even the youngest knows him. Why am I the only one who doesn’t?”
“Wait a little. If things go well with Mr. Leo, I’ll introduce you.”
The twin sisters immediately started bickering.
Meanwhile…
I happily bounced up and down where I stood.
In the original story…
After war broke out between the Empire and Trovanza…
Leopold and Big Sister Aliche became the commanders of their respective armies.
The person who defeated Big Sister in the original story…
Was Leopold.
But if Leopold and Regina ended up together…
Then even if war broke out…
Wouldn’t Big Sister be safe?
And unlike Marius, who had stained his hands with blood to become Emperor…
Or François, who suffered from madness…
Leopold was a man with completely sincere and pure love.
This is my chance!
If it was Leopold…
I could trust him with my Second Sister!
“Kyaa!”
Unable to contain my excitement…
I threw myself onto Regina’s bed.
The two of them looked wonderful together.
And when they had first met…
They had clearly been interested in each other.
Leopold had kept secretly glancing at Regina.
Meanwhile…
Regina had smiled at him the entire time while tucking her hair behind her ear.
“I approve of Mister Leo!”
“What?”
Regina burst into laughter.
Just then…
Emilia walked over and placed a hand on my forehead.
“Hm?”
“Lily… let’s take some fever medicine. You have a fever.”
“Huh?”
“Up you go.”
Emilia picked me up into her arms.
Now that she mentioned it…
My head did feel a little warm.
The problem was…
After I took the fever medicine mixed with strawberry syrup…
The fever became much worse.
That night…
As I cried because my whole body hurt…
Regina finally carried me on her back and hurried me to the neighborhood clinic.
